The long-running legal dispute over the wildly popular children’s song “Baby Shark” has finally wrapped up. After more than seven years, South Korea’s highest court has sided with the company behind the global hit. This ruling dismisses claims of copyright theft, putting an end to a legal saga that captured worldwide attention.
On August 14, 2025, the South Korean Supreme Court confirmed earlier decisions made by lower and appellate courts. They rejected the lawsuit brought by Johnny Only, whose real name is Jonathan Wright. Mr. Wright, a composer from New York, first filed his case in a Seoul court back in March 2019. He claimed that “Baby Shark,” released in 2015 by the South Korean company SmartStudy, copied a song he wrote in 2011.
SmartStudy, now known as The Pinkfong Company, stood firm in its defense. They argued that “Baby Shark” was not a copy but a fresh take on a traditional North American children’s tune. This type of song, they explained, belongs to everyone and has no copyright. The two-minute catchy song tells the story of a shark family and their underwater hunt, quickly becoming a massive online sensation.
Both the initial court and the appeals court agreed with the company. They decided that Mr. Only’s song did not qualify as a protected “derivative work” under copyright law. With the Supreme Court upholding this view, the case is now officially closed. The lively tune about a little shark family can continue swimming freely without legal shadows.